


Caught Red Handed

by Blondieondie



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Coming Out, Heartbreak, High School, Love Confessions, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-10-26 02:09:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17737013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blondieondie/pseuds/Blondieondie
Summary: Alex and Michael are spending a quiet Sunday alone together where they begin to take the next step in their relationship, but what happens when Master Sergeant Jesse Manes comes home early to find his seventeen year old son in bed with another boy? Will this change things for the boys? Can their relationship pass the test that is Jesse Manes’ disapproval?orMy version of the boys' first "I love yous" and what happened 10 years ago that made Alex leave Roswell... and Michael.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I can't wait to see Malex's back story play out on screen, but until then here is my version of what happened.

It was a lazy Sunday in May. Michael was over and he and Alex were enjoying having the whole house to themselves. At least one of Alex’s brothers was usually around and they could never seem to escape the ‘all seeing eyes’ of his dad. However since his brothers were away for the weekend on a camping trip and Sgt. Manes wasn’t supposed to be back from work until much later that night, Alex was taking full advantage of having Michael all to himself.

Michael had come over early in the morning, once Alex gave him the all clear that they would be alone. Since then, they have been fooling around with a new song that Michael was trying to teach Alex.

It had become their new routine; Michael would learn a new song and then he would try to teach it to Alex, but before they made any progress, one of them would look at the other for too long or their fingers would graze and lets just say they would get a little distracted for a while.

Today was different though, Michael was all business. Alex kept playing the wrong chords so that Michael would have to show him where to properly put his fingers and they would have to touch. But try as he might, Michael didn’t seem to take the hint that there were other things Alex wanted to do in an empty house with him than just play music.

Then Alex tried to tuck one of Michael’s stray curls behind his ear and he actually flinched at the touch. Now Alex knew something was up. He was acting a bit tense all day but Alex just thought it was due to them being at his house rather than out in the middle of nowhere together. Now he wasn’t so sure. Did he do something wrong? Was Michael mad about something?

He’d always loved when Alex touched his hair. He used to hate the messy curls until Alex told him he thought they made him look sexy and he loved to run his hands through them when they kissed. Now it was like his kryptonite.

“What’s up babe? You’ve been off all day, did something happen?”

“No sorry nothing. I'm fine, let's just keep playing,” he says as he adjusts his guitar and tries to play again when Alex stops him.

“No you’re not fine.” he reaches out and turns Michael’s head so that he is facing him. “I know you and I can tell when something is on your mind so talk to me.” When Michael doesn’t make any move to speak, he continues, “you know you can tell me anything right?”

Finally Michael looks him in the eye and Alex thinks to himself he would do anything if only Michael could look at him that way for the rest of his life. “It’s nothing bad, honest” Michael finally says. “It’s just I want to show you something and I’m not sure if you’ll think it sucks or that it’s weird and I probably should just shut up and— you know what, let’s just forget it and keep playing.” He tries to turn away again but Alex is having none of it.

“Guerin, just show me. Whatever it is I won’t judge ” Michael takes a deep breath and looks him straight in the eye.

“I wrote you a song.”

Of all the things Alex thought was going to come out of Michael’s mouth, that was about the last thing on his list. The shock must have shown on his face because Michael soon started to ramble again. “See I knew you would think it’s weird, just forget it.” The words finally seemed to process in Alex’s brain because he was soon silencing his rambling with a kiss.

“Guerin, shut up and play the damn song. Please” Michael looked at him wearily but he started to play. The whole time Alex couldn’t help but have the biggest brightest smile on the whole time. This man, this beautiful man was in his house, on his bed, singing him a freaking song that he wrote!

The song itself was beautiful. Michael had clearly put a lot of work into it and it made Alex’s heart hurt just thinking about it. This man was so amazing and he was all his.

Michael stopped playing all too soon and looked up to see Alex staring back at him in awe. Before he could say anything Alex took the guitar out of his hand and put it in the case on the floor. Then he climbed back on the bed and sat next to Michael. Just as he was about to speak, Alex jumped in first. “That was absolutely amazing. That song was incredible. I loved it. I love your voice. I love the melody I love that you wrote me a freaking song, I love—”

“I love you” Michael said in a whisper so low that Alex almost didn’t hear him.

Alex couldn’t believe it Michael Guerin just told him that he loved him. Michael Guerin was in love with him.

Michael was looking at him with a nervous, yet hopeful expression and Alex couldn’t take it anymore. He climbed into Michael’s lap and kissed him with everything he had, putting everything into that kiss, hoping it would let Michael know exactly how he felt.

They kissed for what felt like hours. Alex’s lungs betrayed him because he soon had to break the kiss to breathe, although Michael wouldn’t let him go far as he kept his arms wrapped tightly around him. Alex rested his forehead against Michael, who had a shit eating grin on his face. “You love me?” he asked

“I love you” he confirmed.

“I love you too Michael.” It wasn’t the first time he called him by his first name, but it was still a rare enough occurrence for Michael to be shocked by it. He looked back at Alex like he had hung the moon and stars; like Alex saying he loved him was the best thing in the world. To Michael it was.

Before he could say anything else, Michael smashed their lips back together in a heated kiss, pulling Alex impossibly closer as if he physically needed to feel every inch of him.

Things got heated pretty quick, shirts were discarded onto a pile in the floor and Michael was currently on top of Alex, leaving a trail of kisses down his neck. Alex hands were running through Michael’s curls and he would let out a moan every time Alex pulled on them. Alex thought it was the best sound in the world.

They had been like that for a couple of minutes now, just making out and grinding up against each other still in their jeans but the friction was on the verge of too much and not enough at the same time and Alex couldn’t take it anymore. He slid his hand down Michael’s bare chest and reached for his belt buckle. Looking at Michael for confirmation that this was okay, he proceeded to unbuckle his pants and slide them down his legs as soon as Michael gave him an encouraging nod.

Michael clearly wanted more too as his hands were soon on Alex’s belt almost ripping his pants off of him and throwing them across the room.

Now there was nothing but the thin layers of their boxers between them and Alex could feel Michael’s hardness pressing up against his thigh. He was sure Michael could feel how excited he was too because the next thing he knew, there was a warm hand sneaking underneath the waistband of his boxers and wrapping around him.

Alex let out a whimper as Michael turned his wrist and began to slowly pump his hand back and forth. It was an awkward position and it was a little messy but Alex wouldn’t change anything about it at all. Michael was here and he was in love with him. Just the thought of that made him want to come on the spot.

The boys were so wrapped up in their little bubble of love that they didn’t hear the sound of Sgt. Manes’ truck stop outside. They didn’t hear Alex’s dad come in the house or call out his name.

The only thing they heard was Jesse Manes burst into Alex’s bedroom and stop talking mid sentence as he saw his seventeen year old son in bed with another boy’s hand down his pants. Not just any other boy; Michael Guerin, the boy Alex had explicit instructions to stay away from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up we will see Sgt. Manes' reaction to finding the boys and get a little insight into Alex's relationship with his father.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2!  
> Alex and his dad have it out after he finds him and Michael together.

“Hey Alex why is there a truck out—” Jesse Manes cut his question short as he walked into his son’s bedroom to find him in bed with another boy on top of him, both half naked. Before he could even process what was happening, the boy on top of his son quickly jumped off and turned around to face the Master Sergeant in a panic. Now that he could see his face, he realized that not only was Alex in bed with another boy, he was in bed with Michael Guerin, the town delinquent. This kid was always in trouble from what Jesse had heard and he had told Alex to stay away from him once he found out that Michael had been arrested last month for underage drinking.

“Get the hell out of my house,” screamed Jesse Manes when he finally processed the scene in front of him and he grabbed Michael by the arm and basically ripped him out of the bed and across the floor.

“Dad stop!” Alex cried as he tried to stand in between his dad and his boyfriend. He looked at Michael and thought he had never seen him look so scared. Leave it to his dad to make the bravest man he knew scared shitless.

“You shut your mouth,” he sneered at Alex and then turned to Michael. “You get out of this house and don’t ever come back you hear me.” Michael looked at Alex who gave him a nod telling him it was okay if he left. He gave Alex one last mournful look and quickly left the room without even stopping to put his clothes on; he just picked them up in a pile and ran out of the room.

Both father and son didn’t say a word until they heard the front door slam and the sound of Michael’s truck speeding off. 

“What they hell is going on Alex? Start talking now?” He looked like he was about to explode from how red his face was at the moment and Alex knew this wasn’t going to end well.

He had never really come out to his father and of course he never told him about Michael, but judging by the fact that Alex had never once brought a girl home and every time someone brought up something regarding the LGBT community, he would catch his dad looking at him with a mix of disgust and disappointment, he figured his dad already knew. So what was the point of telling him to his face and starting a fight he knew he wouldn’t win? 

Now there was really no way around the conversation so he thought he might as well put it all on the table. He didn’t know where this bravery was coming from, but he thought he might have to credit a certain curly haired boy for it later. He looked the Sergeant dead in the eye.

“What do you want me to say dad? Do you want me to say that I’m not gay and that I’m not in love with the man you just threw out of the house? Do you want me to say that because I can, it just won’t be true.” He hoped that his voice sounded stronger than it felt. He had never raised his voice to his father before in his life and now he was not only screaming at him, but he was telling him that he was gay and in love with someone he knew he hated. He squared his shoulders as if preparing for the blow he was about to receive.

“Don’t you dare speak to me like that in my own house you ungrateful little shit. I have done everything for you and your brothers. I have put a roof over your head, clothed and fed you your whole life and this is how you repay me? By flaunting your mistakes in front of me!” Alex knew there was no point in arguing with his dad and that it was just going to make things worse, but he couldn’t stand there and let his dad call Michael a mistake. He’s made a lot of mistakes in his life, but loving Michael was not one of them. 

“He is not a mistake dad, I love him!”

“Please Alex you are seventeen, you don’t even know what love is.” Alex could visibly see him get more and more frustrated. It was like the situation was finally sinking in and all of his dad’s suspicions about him were finally being confirmed so he couldn’t just ignore it anymore. He knew what was coming and he prepared for the worst. “I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen. You are going to tell that no good degenerate that you were having some existential crisis or whatever and that you don’t want to see him  _ever_ again and—”

“Dad Please” Alex croaked out

“I’m not finished. You are going to cut him out of your life and you are going to stop wasting your time with that guitar too. You are going to keep your grades up and focus your efforts on the ROTC. And when you graduate you are going to enlist and get far away from any of these distractions in Roswell.”

“But dad I don’t want to be in the military. I’ve never wanted that”

“You’re seventeen, you don’t know what you want.”

“Yes I do! I want to study music, I want to stay in the state and I want to be with Michael. He makes me happy. You’re my dad, don’t you want me to be happy?”

“What I want is to have a son that is worthy of the Manes name, and the child I am staring at right now is not. I don’t know what else I could have done Alex. I’m at the end of my rope. I can’t fix you but maybe the force can.” 

“I’m not broken! You can’t fix me, I’m just me. I’m your son and no matter how much we both wish that wasn’t true there is nothing you or I can do about it!” Alex could have sworn he saw a flash of hurt in his dad’s eyes when he’d said he wished he wasn’t his son but then in a second it was gone and replaced with pure rage.

“Are you done? Because I’m done listening to this nonsense. You are a Manes man and it’s about time you start acting like it. I will not have my son live like this. You’re a disgrace to the family, acting the way you are.” He took a deep breath and looked Alex dead in the eyes. When he spoke again it was in a very calm and quiet voice. “You are never to see that Guerin kid again. Ever. And I swear to God the day you graduate you are going to the nearest recruiting center and enlisting, I don’t care if I have to drag your ass there myself. Do I make myself clear?”

Alex was holding back tears by sheer willpower at this point. He refused to cry in front of his father. He didn’t deserve the satisfaction of seeing how much his words hurt Alex. His dad spoke again a little louder this time “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir.” Alex whispered. Sgt. Manes must have accepted that answer because he turned and walked out of Alex’s bedroom without another word.  

As he watched his dad leave, the dam broke. He slammed the door and fell onto his bed, burying his head in the pillow that still smelt like Michael to drown out the sobs that were wracking his body.

This was it. This was going to be his life now. There was no arguing with his dad and Alex knew it; he could never win. The sergeant always sticks to his word, and come July he would be getting on a bus to basic training and there was no stopping it from happening.

\---

He knew he had to go find Michael and explain. He could only imagine what was going through his mind after being kicked out of the house like that, but honestly, he didn’t know what to say.

How was he going to tell the love of his life that in two months, he was going to be signing his life away and that he would probably never see him again? The thought of it made his heart break all over again so he buried his head deeper in his pillow let the tears stream down his face.

He would go find Michael tomorrow. For now he would sit here and cry. He would cry and try to figure out how to break up with Michael without it killing them both.

 

 

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up we see Michael's side of the story and we find out where he goes after being kicked out of the Manes residence.
> 
> I'm hoping to have Chapter 3 up ASAP but I have a ton of assignments due this week so I'm sorry is it takes me a few days. It will be up soon though so please bare with me!
> 
> P.S. I know the new episode comes out tomorrow and we may get more insight into the boys' past (hopefully!) but I am still going to continue with my original plan for this fic, even though it probably will diverge from the show.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for Michael's POV!!!
> 
> There are slight references to past abuse but nothing graphic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I am so so sorry that it has taken me so long to update. I was really swamped with school this week and my writers block was REAL. I'm still not 100% happy with this chapter but I think this is as good as it's going to get. I hope it's not too terrible. Enjoy lol!

_ Oh my God! This is bad. This is really really bad, _ Michael thought as he sped away from the Manes’ residence in his beat up old truck. Why did Alex’s dad have to come home from work early; today of all days? Why didn’t they go out to Fosters like they had planned? Michael knew he shouldn’t have listened to Alex and stayed. But of course he couldn’t refuse him when he looked at him with those big doe eyes. And now, now Alex’s dad had found them and everything was about to be ruined.  

It was going so well too. Michael had been so nervous all morning, he was going to show Alex the song that he had been working on. He knew that it was super cheesy and that the song probably wasn’t that good but Alex had inspired him and he wanted him to know that.

It turns out that he had worried for no reason because Alex had loved the song and more importantly, he loved him. Michael still couldn’t believe it. He had been in love with Alex since he first crashed into him in the hallway on the way to third period all those years ago. He had known Alex was out of his league but Michael had never been one to give up on something that he wanted, so he went for it. 

It took a long time but now Alex was his. He was in love with him for whatever reason Michael couldn’t help but smile at the thought of it. 

That smile soon went away though as he remembered why he was driving away from Alex’s house right now instead of being curled up in his arms. 

He shouldn’t have left. He should have stayed and fought for Alex, but Alex gave him a look that said things would only be worse if he stayed. So he left and now he doesn’t know what to do with himself. 

He was scared. Scared of what was most likely happening at the Manes house right now. Scared that the next time he would see that beautiful face, it would be covered in bruises and cuts. He knew what the sergeant was capable of and it scared the shit of him. Nothing has ever scared Michael as much as Jesse Manes; nothing except being exposed. 

He remembers a couple of years ago, when he and Alex were still in middle school. Alex had come into math class with his hood up, trying to hide the black eye that was slowly creeping up on his face. He heard him try to brush it off like it was a skateboarding accident when Liz and Maria asked him about it, but Michael saw his face and he knew that look. It was the look of a scared kid that had been hurt by the person who was supposed to be the one taking care of him. 

Michael had been beaten by enough foster parents to know that look and he knew that bruise couldn’t have come from anyone other than Alex’s dad.. 

It didn’t come as a surprise to Michael at all when he and Alex were laid out in the back of his pickup a couple of years after that first incident and Alex had told him that was the day his dad had found a bunch of magazines Alex had hidden in his room. It was the day his dad found out he was gay and apparently he just lost it. Alex then went on to defend his dad, saying that it was just a shock and it was the way he was raised and all that bullshit. It broke Michael’s heart to hear Alex defend that monster. He didn’t understand how he could still have respect for his dad after that, but he quickly realized that Alex put up with his dad because he was all he had. All of his brothers were grown up and had lives of their own. His mom well… his mom wasn’t there to protect him. His dad was all he had. 

But now he had Michael. Michael was there and he was determined to show Alex that he would never be alone again. He wouldn’t have to rely on that bastard anymore. 

That’s why when Michael saw a car parked at his house, meaning someone was home, he kept driving and wound up at Fosters again. He parked his truck in their usual spot and took out his phone. He brought up Alex’s name and sent off a text.

> **Hey. I know you won’t get this until later but I just want to say I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s going on but when you can, please please come find me. I’m at our spot. I love you.**

_ \---  _

It was four hours later and there was still no sign of Alex. Not even a text to explain why he wasn’t there. Michael’s brain started to think of the worst possible scenarios. What if his dad had taken his phone and seen the text? What if he decided he was finally going to lock up Alex for good and he would never get to see him again? What if things had gotten physical? It hadn’t happened in a while; not since they had gotten drunk and fallen asleep out at Fosters a couple of months ago. They had stayed out all night and when Alex got home, the Sergeant was more than furious. Michael had found him on his porch the next day with a split lip and tears in his eyes. Alex had tried to defend him again saying that it was his fault for worrying him by not coming home. 

What if it happens again and Alex defends him? 

Michael felt sick. Alex was probably going through hell right now and it was all his fault. What if Alex blames him?  What if his dad has finally got to him and made him realise that Michael is not good enough? What if Alex changed his mind? What if he doesn’t want to be with him anymore?

His doubt consume him and he feels like he can’t breathe. All he can think about is Alex rejecting him. He has spent his whole life being looked down on and told that he wasn’t good enough. It’s hard not to believe it when it’s all you’ve ever known. 

He’s always been alone. Sure he has Max and Isobel, thank God for that, but even they don’t know what it’s like. They grew up in a loving family. They are popular, smart, everybody thinks the world of them. Not Michael. No one has ever thought anything of Michael. 

Sure he was a genius, but no one actually knew it. They had decided a long time ago that his brain could lead to people finding out about them, so he hid it. He did well on all the tests but he didn’t do his homework, didn’t participate in school activities, he just did enough to get by. He embraced the slacker persona that everyone was already expecting of him and didn’t try. It worked. It kept him safe. It kept Max and Isobel safe.

That’s another thing. Max and Isobel. They needed him. If it was just him, he would just leave. He would take Alex so far away from this town that he would never have to worry about his dad or anyone else ever again. It would be just them against the world. 

Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. He knew that Max was never going to leave this town, which meant that neither would he or Isobel. 

He was stuck here but Alex wasn’t. Alex could leave. He could get away from his asshole dad and live the life he deserves. 

It broke Michael’s heart just thinking about the day he would have to let Alex go, but he loved him too much to do anything less. Alex deserved to be happy more than anyone in the world and Michael would be damned if he was going to stand in the way of that. 

These thoughts kept Michael’s mind occupied as he watched the sun set and and the stars come out.

\---

He must have fallen asleep at some point because the next think he knew, it was morning and he was waking up to the scrape of tires on the desert sand. 

He watched as a puffy faced Alex step out of the car. He was looking at Michael with big, tear filled eyes and the only thing Michael could think was he looked broken. 

Alex looked broken and Michael didn’t know if he could fix it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter the boys will finally talk things out. Tears will be shed, decisions will be made. 
> 
> I promise this one wont take as long to be up. It will be up before the episode airs because I'm sure its going to contradict everything I write. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys finally talk. Tears are shed. Decisions are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the boys finally talk about everything. Grab some tissues and enjoy!

Michael quickly made his way out of the truck and turned to face Alex. 

As soon as they made eye contact, he just lost it. The tears started to freely flow and he practically ran to Alex.

They crashed together, Alex’s arms wrapping around Michael’s waist, pulling them impossibly closer. Michael was sobbing into Alex’s neck and he could feel the wetness that Alex was leaving on the side of his head, where he had his face buried in his curls. 

He didn’t know how long they stood there, just holding each other, crying in relief that they were both there and okay. 

Michael was the first to pull back. He cupped Alex’s face with both of his hands and gave him a once over. “Are you okay? Did that bastard hurt you? If he touched a single hair on your head I swear I’m gonna kill—” He spit out in a panic looking anywhere and everywhere for a bruise or a scratch.

“No, no I’m okay he didn’t do anything, I’m fine,” Alex quickly tried to reassure him. Michael let out the breath he had been holding for what felt like the last 24 hours and he finally looked Alex in the eye. Alex could see the relief in his eyes and he couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled Michael into a bruising kiss and he put everything he had into it. He hoped that he could explain everything he was feeling in this one kiss, because it may very well be the last time he gets to feel these perfect lips against his. 

Michael pulled away when he felt Alex’s tears on his cheeks. He looked at him with a concerned, loving expression. “What’s wrong baby?” Alex doesn’t know what to say. What’s wrong? Everything is wrong. Michael is looking at him like he’s the only thing in the world that matters and and he’s about to break his heart. 

“Nothing.”

“If nothing is wrong, why are you crying?” Michael whispered as he wiped away Alex’s tears with the pads of his thumps. “Please Alex, don’t lie to me. Tell me what’s wrong. Tell me what happened.”

“Can we sit down?” He asked and walked over to Michael’s truck and opened up the tailgate without waiting for confirmation. 

“Yeah sure,” Michael answered with worry in his voice. They didn’t really have sit down conversations. That wasn’t their thing. Sure they talked, but it never felt formal between him and Alex; they had always been able to tell each other everything. Now there was a tension in the air and this conversation felt awkward and forced. 

Michael followed Alex up onto the bed of his truck and took a seat next to him, leaving a bit of distance between them. He turned towards his boyfriend and said bluntly, “Okay man you’re starting to scare me. What is it? Did your dad say something? Talk to me.”

“I can’t— I can’t do this anymore Guerin.” Alex barely managed to get the words out. He was looking at his hands, scared that if he saw the look on Michael’s face, his resolve would crack and all his plans would go out the window. He heard Michael take in a shaky breath and respond.

“What do you mean you can’t do this? What are you talking about Alex?” Michael’s voice cracked on his last couple of words and Alex felt like he couldn’t breathe. This is going to be harder than he expected.

“Us. I’m talking about us... I think we should break up.” Alex was still looking at his hands, unable to look Michael in the eyes, but he could feel the hurt radiating off of Michael in waves. 

Michael felt like someone just stabbed him in the chest. Did Alex seriously just say he wanted to break up?

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. Yesterday Alex was telling him he loved him and now he was breaking up with him? It was his dad. I had to be his dad. 

Michael sat there in silence not knowing what to say; not knowing what to feel. 

When it became too much for Alex to bare, he forced himself to look up at Michael. He saw the utter hurt and betrayal in Michael’s eyes and he watched as the tears fell down his face. He didn’t know where to go from here. All he wanted to do was to take Michael in his arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay, but he couldn’t. Things weren’t okay and it was all his fault. 

Michael’s eyes bore holes into his sole as he held Alex’s gaze and finally spoke. “Why?” It was as broken as Alex had ever heard his voice. It was the first time Alex had ever seen small to Him. He has always been his big brave knight in shining armour and to see him now, looking so defeated, knowing he was the cause of it; Alex didn’t know what to do. He had to do this now or he never would. 

“It easier this way. ”

“Easier… Alex what are you talking abo—” Michael’s head snapped up and a look of terrified realization spread across his face. “Alex please don’t tell me that—”

“I’m singing up. I leave the day after graduation.” 

Michael’s head was spinning and he felt like he was going to suffocate. He got up from the tailgate and started to pace back and forth. “I’m sorry, you’re gonna have to repeat yourself because it sounded like you just said you are enlisting into the air force, which is something you have said you will never do, I don’t know about a hundred times!” Michael practically screamed the last part, but at this point he didn’t care. How could Alex be so stupid? He didn’t want to join the air force, he didn’t want anything to do with the military.

“I know what I said okay. Now I’m saying this. After I graduate I am enlisting.” 

“Alex I don’t—” Michael shook his head in disbelief. “It’s your dad right? What did he say Alex? I need a real explanation. You owe me that much.”

Alex took a deep breath and began to tell Michael what happened. “After you left my dad lost it even more. He said that I was never to see you again and that he didn’t know what to do with me. He went on and on about not being able to fix me and that maybe the military could.”

“Alex”

“No. Guerin, please let me finish.” Michael let out a huff but nodded and let Alex continue. “Look, we both knew that this day was going to come. Every man in the Manes family has been in the military for the last five generations. You know there was no way that my dad was going to let me break that tradition. Finding us together was just what set him off.” 

Michael held his tongue as long as he could but he couldn’t take it anymore. “So what, daddy says jump and you say how high? May I remind you that this man has done nothing but abuse and degrade you your whole life, just because you were different. If that’s not enough, this isn’t what you want. Do you really want to go sign your life away and get shipped off to a place you may never come home from? Not to mention Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is still a thing Alex. What are you gonna do when someone asks you if there is a pretty girl in your life? Are you gonna lie about everything for the rest of your life? What kind of life is that Alex?”

“I don’t know okay! I don’t know. All I know is that this is my dad we are talking about and I can’t say no. I can’t say no to him, I have never been able to before and I guess I still can’t. Maybe that makes me a coward but it’s the truth. He may be a monster, but he is all I have.”

“You have me.” Alex pleaded. He needed to find a way to convince Alex how stupid this was. He understood that Alex was scared, he was too, but he needed Alex to be brave. He needed him to fight for himself. “You have me and you always will.”

Michael walked up to Alex and cupped his face with his hands. “Run away with me. We can go anywhere you want. I can take care of you. You’ll never have to see him again I promise.” 

Alex let out a choked off sob “We can’t do that Guerin you know that.”

“Why not? Look I don’t have all the answers right now; all I know is that I love you and that we can figure it out.” Deep down Michael knew it wasn’t that simple. He knew he couldn’t just leave Max and Isobel, but right now he couldn’t think about that. All he could think about was Alex and the fact that he couldn’t lose him. 

“I can’t just let you throw away your life like that. You have like six scholarships just waiting for you to accept them. You can’t just throw all of that away. You’ve worked too hard to ruin your life for me,” Alex explains. 

“You are my life. I don’t care about that stuff, I just care about you.”

“But my dad—”

“Forget about your dad!”

“I can’t! And it’s not just me I’m scared about. I can’t let him hurt you. If I don’t do what he says, he’ll blame you, he already does and I can’t, I won’t let him hurt you.”

“I can take care of myself.” Michael tried to sound confident and reassuring but he wasn’t sure if he accomplished that.

“I know you think you can, but this is my dad we are talking about. I’m not taking any chances.”

Alex got up off of the truck and all of Michael’s composure slipped away. He couldn’t let Alex just give up on them and walk away. “Please Alex. Please don’t do this. I need you, I love you. You can’t just walk away from me.” Michael was begging at this point and if it was anybody else he might feel embarrassed, but it was Alex so he didn’t care one bit. 

He pulled Alex into his arms and smashed their lips together. For a heart-stopping moment Alex didn’t respond, and then he kissed Michael back with everything he had. If this was going to be their last kiss, they were going to make the most of it. 

Michael’s hands started to trail down Alex’s back and just when his fingers slipped under the fabric of his shirt, Alex pulled away. Michael chased his lips but Alex held him back. “I can’t do this, I have to go.”

“Please don’t do this Alex, I love you.  _ Please. _ ” 

“I’m sorry, this is the way it has to be.” He brushed Michael’s curls behind his ear and and whispered, “I love you Michael.”

The next thing Michael knew he was watching as Alex walked back to his car, got in, and quickly drove away without another look in Michael’s direction.

Michael watched as Alex sped away. He stood there until his eyes were bleary from unshed tears and until his knees collapsed from under him. 

He sat there, in the middle of the desert, a sobbing mess for God knows how long. Alex broke up with him.. He was joining the air force and he wouldn't see anymore. 

Alex was gone and he wasn’t coming back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me. I know it's not the happy ending we all wanted but I just don't see how their break up could have been anything other than heartbreaking based on how they are in the show right now.   
> Also I have decided that I'm going to do one more chapter as like an epilogue. It should be up later tonight or tomorrow morning and it will be about the actual day that Alex leaves Roswell.


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's graduation day and Alex finally leaves Roswell... and Michael

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the last chapter! Hope you enjoy!

It had been 46 days. 46 days since Alex had broken Michael’s heart beyond repair. 

It was the day after graduation and Michael was at the Crash-down Cafe with Max and Isobel. She had dragged the both of them there to celebrate graduation, although neither of them felt much like celebrating. Max was a mess; he had just found out about Liz moving to Denver for school and he didn’t want to talk about it when Michael asked. 

He was starting to think it was a bad idea for him and Isobel to make her leave, but they did it to protect their secret. Max was so enthralled with her, he knew that it wouldn’t be much longer before she found out everything and it would all be over.

Still, Michael knew exactly how how felt. Like there was a massive hole in the middle of his chest that caused an ache that never really went away. That’s how Michael had been feeling for the last month and a half. 

He hadn’t felt like doing anything in the last 46 days other than stay in bed and cry, let alone go out and celebrate a graduation that really meant nothing to him.

Maybe it would have meant something 46 days ago, when he had about five scholarship offers, when he was at the top of his class, and most importantly, when he had Alex. Now he was barely graduating, he had lost all of his scholarships and Alex—

I guess you could say he kind of shut down after Alex broke up with him. He stopped going to school, he lost his job, the only reason he was even graduating was because Isobel had practically dragged him to his exams. Neither her or Max  knew about Alex and they had no idea what was going on with him, but Michael refused to talk to them. They did the best they could to keep him going but none of it really worked, so they stopped trying to figure it out and just let him be.

He had lost everything and he couldn’t even bring himself to care. He was never going to get out of this town anyways, none of them could. The only reason he even applied for those scholarships was for Alex. So he would have a back up plan in case he needed to get Alex away from his dad. 

When Alex left, so did his reasons for trying. Michael lost the will to do anything. He spent his time being mad at the world and embracing the ‘bad boy image’ that apparently one mistake at a stupid high school party got him.  No one in town batted an eye when the kid who had grown up in foster care had started to act out and mess up at school. 

The only thing that made this situation the least bit better was the fact that Alex was still in town and he hadn’t left yet. On the days that Michael bothered to show up to school, he would sneak glances at Alex form a far. Sure it killed him every time, knowing that he could no longer take him into an empty classroom and kiss him senseless anymore, but at least he knew he was safe. He wasn’t in some desert somewhere being shot at. It wasn’t a victory, but at least Michael could get to sleep at night knowing that safe, for now at least. 

Max getting up from the table and giving Isobel some excuse about going to talk to sheriff Valenti is what took Michael out of his trance. 

“Well I guess that ends our lunch then doesn’t it?” she said; annoyance laced in her voice. Then she got this look in her eye, like she was about to ask Michael some questions that he wasn’t ready to answer and he quickly told her he had to leave as well. 

She gave him a look that told him he didn’t believe one word of it, but she let him leave nonetheless.

He was glad to be getting out of there. There were so many people in there all celebrating the graduation with their families, talking about what amazing plans they had now and Michael couldn’t listen to it anymore. He needed to get out of there. He needed to be alone.

He had just left the diner and was walking to his truck when something caught his eye, stopping him dead in his tracks.  He was looking at the bus that was stopped across the street. There was a line of people there stuffing their bags into it and then hugging their loved ones goodbye. 

That wasn’t what caught Michael’s eye though. What caught Michael’s eye was Alex, trying to stuff his enormous bag onto the bus. Michael couldn’t see his face, but he would recognize Alex anywhere, even if all he could see was the back of his head.

It was then that his brain finally processed what was happening. Alex was leaving. Today!

Michael couldn’t breathe. Alex was leaving today and he didn’t even tell him. It’s not like he was expecting him to, but he had still hoped that Alex would let him know in some way. Apparently he was wrong. 

A group of loud, most likely drunk graduates came out of the diner screaming and laughing. This caused Alex to look over and see what the commotion was. When he looked over, his eyes landed on Michael, standing there, staring right back at him and he froze. It was the first time they had made eye contact since that day in the desert and both of them didn’t know what to do. 

Michael had always had the most expressive eyes and today was no exception. He was staring at Alex with so many different emotions displayed on his face, Alex couldn’t process it. All he knew was that he felt like his heart was breaking all over again, seeing Michael stare at him like that. 

He hadn’t told Michael he was leaving today. He had picked up the phone about a hundred times, ready to do so, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He didn’t think he would get on the bus if Michael was there. 

Turns out he was right because they both stood where they were, not moving until the bus driver had stepped in front of him blocking his view of Michael.

“You coming there kid? Bus is leaving so either on or off.” 

This was it, now or never. He picked up his backpack, handed his ticket to the bus driver and got on the bus without another look in Michael’s direction. 

Michael watched as Alex got on the bus. He watched as the bus driver closed the doors, and he watched at the bus drove away, taking Alex away from him for good. 

Michael watched until the bus was gone from his vision and he was left standing in a parking lot, alone. 

\--- 

One was leaving, one was staying, but they were both heartbroken. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I didn't break your hearts too much lol.  
> I had lots of fun writing this and it was my first multi-chapter fic so it was a learning experience.  
> Thanks to all of you fir reading and leaving wonderful kudos and comments. I really appreciate your feedback!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Comments are always welcome!


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